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City taking ideas for use of grant money

By Amy Banton

Jan 29 2013 9:38 pm Jan 30 2:13 pm

The City of Aiken is looking for input on how funds from the Community Development Block Grant will be allocated.

The City held two public hearings at the Smith-Hazel Recreation Center on Tuesday to gather feedback from residents, and they will continue to take comments until May 1, according to Community Development Planner Sabina Craig.

The grant, which is received from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, targets low and moderate income neighborhoods and families. Craig said, according to census data, that would apply to many neighborhoods on the Northside of the city.

The money from the grant can go toward housing rehabilitation, streetscaping, water and sewer, lot clean-up or any other infrastructure within a neighborhood that needs improvement and can be fixed under HUD’s national guidelines, Craig said.

Those funds can also go toward emergency repairs to homes of income-eligible individuals or families. Those repairs could include fixing windows, weak or rotting floors, plumbing repairs, patching of leaky roofs and more.

Last year, the city received approximately $187,000 through this grant. Craig said they believe the City will receive between $175,000 to $180,000. The grant is typically paid out in August.

Anyone who has suggestions of how those funds could be spent or has questions about the grant and emergency repairs should call Craig at 642-7606 or email scraig@cityofaikensc.gov.

For more information about the Community Development Block Grant, visit http://goo.gl/jLTbA.

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